COLLECTED WRITINGS OF JOHN MURRAY, Vol. 4 Studies in Theology, published by The Banner ofTruth Trust, 3 Murrayfield Rd., Edinburgh, Scotland EH12 6EL. P.O. Box 621, Carlisle, PA
After John Murray’s death it was decided to publish a volume of his miscellaneous shorter writings. When those writings were examined in order to make such a selection, the single projected volume became four! There was just too much valuable material that could not well be excluded. The ten years since Professor Murray died have been showing how rare was the careful methodical study of God’s Word to guide Christians and the churches that became the characteristic of his illustrious career at Westminster Theological Seminary. These years have also been showing how urgently that kind of leadership is needed in our time . Through these writings his mine of Biblical studies over many years is made available to the students and ministers of our time and the future. Murray saw clearly that the direction of God’s Word must take precedence over the pressures of tradition and the forces of change. In his own career his placing the Word of God ahead of the tradition in his own church barred the way to serving the ministry of that church and led the way to his return to the U.S. to eventually teach at Westminster. In our time when facing many pressing issues we are often torn between uncritically following traditions and uncritically abandoning them to surrender to changing public opinion, we can hardly find a better guide and example than John Murray to the way we must live in the light of God’s Word. Few or no other books may prove to be more helpful to those who will study them than his writings. May they have many readers.
This last volume begins with a defense of Systematic Theology. That study must recognize the Bible as God’s Word, not (with the Barthians) as a mere witness to the word. It must be both positive and negative, oppose today’s destructive literary and historical criticism, study both word and deed revelation and be properly related to Biblical theology. This section is followed by studies of the inspiration of Scripture, and of Christology. Murray’s little study on The Free Offer of the Gospel is probably the best answer one could find to those who deny it. Three chapters are reprinted from his valuable 1960 book on Calvin on Scripture and Divine Sovereignty, printed by Baker and containing lectures given to the Reformed Fellowship. The last part of this volume consists of reviews of significant books. One should not underestimate the value of these reviews. Among them are several which deal with volumes of Berkouwer’s massive Studies in Dogmatics. I remember some of those perhaps 9–page analyses when they first appeared in the Westminster Theological journal. It often seemed that Murray’s careful, in-depth evaluations were of more real value than the ponderous and increasingly blundering studies under review. The churches needed the careful, clear, Biblical guidance that John Murray so conscientiously tried to give while he lived. They seem to need it even more now that he is gone. May the opportunity the Lord gives us to profit by his labors through his writings continue to be widely and effectively used.
